Glossary of Planning Terms

Access Management: Access picking fruit, feeding animals, or staying at management is the process of balancing a Bed & Breakfast on a farm. the competing needs of motor vehicle mobility and land access. Access Americans with Disabilities Act management provides access to land (ADA): A comprehensive, federal civil development while simultaneously rights law that prohibits discrimination on preserving the safe and efficient flow of the basis of disabilities in employment, , including bicyclists and state and local government programs and , on the roadway system. activities, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications. Accessory Dwelling Unit: An independent dwelling unit that is clearly Apartment: A dwelling unit used subordinate to a single-family detached exclusively for lease or rent as a residence. dwelling, as distinguished from a duplex or other two-family dwelling. It may be Archeological Resources: Places that internal or external to the main unit. have the potential to yield information about the past through study of the Adaptive Reuse: Rehabilitation or landscape and remains of previous human renovation of existing building(s) or intervention on the landscape. structures for any use(s) other than the present use(s). Architectural and Cultural Heritage: Places, people, objects, stories, traditions, Affordable Dwelling Unit: Refers to and ideas from and about the past that units required under the Affordable relate to us today. Dwelling Unit Ordinance, units are committed for a 30-year term as affordable Architectural and Historic Surveys: to households with incomes at 60 percent Studies of the properties within a or less of the area median income. community or neighborhood or of a specific property to document what exists presently Affordable Housing: A housing unit and what existed there in the past. where no person or family under 80 percent of the area median income spends Architectural Design Control (ADC) more than 30 percent of their income on Districts: Locally protected historic housing costs. Households / families can districts that are designated based on be further defined as extremely low income historical and architectural significance. (earning no more than 30% Area Median Properties in ADC districts must go through Income), very low income (earning design review when exterior alterations, between 30-50 % Area Median Income) or new structures, demolitions, or partial low income (earning between 50 -80% demolitions are proposed. Area Median Income). Area Median Income (AMI): The area Agritourism: is the practice of attracting median household income is the value that visitors and travelers to agricultural areas, occurs in the middle of the range of incomes generally for educational and recreational for the Charlottesville area. Exactly half of purposes. It includes a wide variety of all people in the area earn more than this activities, including buying produce direct value, while the other half earns less. The from a farm stand, navigating a corn maze, median is referred to as 100 percent AMI.

Page 1 Glossary of Planning Terms

Best Management Practices (BMP): block, block numbering area, census tract, Actions taken to keep soil and other country, or place. pollutants out of streams and lakes. BMPs are designed to protect water quality and Brown/Grayfields: A brownfields site to prevent new pollution. involves land that was previously used for industrial or commercial purposes and that Bike : A portion of a roadway that suffers real or perceived environmental has been designated for preferential or contamination such as low concentrations exclusive use by bicyclists by pavement of hazardous waste or pollution and has the markings and, if used, signs. It is intended potential to be reused once it is cleaned up. for one-way travel, usually in the same Grayfields land is that which is covered by direction as the adjacent traffic lane, unless an under-utilized impervious surface, such designed as a contra-flow lane. as a parking lot.

Bike Rack: A stationary fixture to which a Buffer: A strip of land, fence, or border of bicycle can be securely attached. trees, etc., between one use and another, which may or may not have trees and Bike Route: A roadway or bikeway shrubs planted for screening purposes, designated by the jurisdiction having designed to set apart one use area from authority, either with a unique route another. An appropriate buffer may vary designation or with Bike Route signs, along depending on uses, districts, size, etc., and which bicycle guide signs may provide shall be determined by the appropriate local directions and distance information. Signs board. that provide directional, distance, and destination information for bicyclists do Building, Residential: Any building not necessarily establish a bicycle route. arranged, designed, used, or intended by one or more families or lodger and that Blight: Unsightly condition including the includes, but is not limited to, the following accumulation of debris, litter, rubbish, or types: single-family detached, two-family rubble; fences characterized by holes, dwellings, townhouse dwellings, and breaks, rot, crumbling, cracking, peeling or multiple-family dwellings. rusting; landscaping that is dead, characterized by uncontrolled growth and Business and Technology: Replaces the lack of maintenance, or damaged; and any “Industrial” land use designation. These other similar conditions of disrepair and areas focus on office space, business start- deterioration regardless of the condition of ups, technology and science-based industry, other properties in the neighborhood. and light manufacturing, all uses associated with “The New Economy.” Block: An area of land bounded by a , or by a combination of and By Right: A use permitted or allowed in public parks, cemeteries, railroad right-of- the district involved, without review by the way, exterior boundaries of a subdivision, review board, and complies with the shorelines of waterways, or corporate provisions of these zoning regulations and boundaries. other applicable ordinances and regulations. Boundary: A line, which may or may not follow a visible feature, that defines the limits of a geographic entity such as a

Page 2 Glossary of Planning Terms

Capital Budget: A plan of proposed Character: A combination of features and capital outlay appropriations and means of traits that form the distinctive nature of a financing them. structure or place.

Capital Improvement: Any physical Charlottesville Housing Fund (CHF): asset constructed or purchased to provide, Fund that was established in 2007 by the improve, or replace a public facility, which City to provide a flexible funding is large scale and high in cost. mechanism for housing-related projects. By removing regulatory strings often Capital Improvements Program associated with the affordable housing (CIP): A proposed schedule of all future programs, the City has provided a unique projects listed in order of construction resource for non-profit organizations, local priority together with cost estimates and housing developers, and others. the anticipated means of financing each project. Included are major projects Clean industry (Green Industry): is requiring the expenditure of public funds, environment friendly industry. Green over and above the annual government’s Industry is producing environment friendly operating expenses, which are for the products or products that should help purchase, construction, or replacement of improve natural conditions and cause the physical assets for the community. minimal damage to environment during the working process. Capital Investment: Private sector investment in major physical Code of Virginia, The: The statutory law improvements, infrastructure, and of the U.S. state of Virginia, and consists of equipment, such as buildings and the codified legislation of the Virginia machinery that generate tax revenues for General Assembly. local government. Code Enforcement: The attempt by a Census: A complete enumeration, usually government unit to have property owners of a population, but also businesses and and others responsible for buildings and commercial establishments, farms, related land to bring their properties up to governments, and so forth. standards required by building codes, housing codes, and other ordinances. Census Tract: A small relatively permanent statistical subdivision of a Commission, The: The Planning county in a metropolitan area or a selected Commission of the City of Charlottesville, non-metropolitan county delineated by a Virginia. local committee of census data users for the purpose of presenting decennial census Community: A sub-area of the city data. Census tracts boundaries normally consisting of residential, institutional, and follow visible features, but may follow commercial uses sharing a common governmental unit boundaries and other identity. non-visible features in some instances; they always rest within counties. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): A grant program Central Business District (CBD): The administered by the U.S. Department of commercial heart of the city, also called the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) downtown or center city. on a formula basis for entitlement

Page 3 Glossary of Planning Terms communities and by the State Department Context Sensitive Design: Context of Housing and Community Development Sensitive Design (CSD) is defined by the (HCD) for non-entitled jurisdictions. This Federal Administration (FHWA) grant allots money to cities and counties as a collaborative, interdisciplinary for housing rehabilitation and community approach to building roadway projects that development, including public facilities involves all stakeholders. The goal is to and economic development. develop a transportation facility that fits its physical setting and preserves scenic, Community Land Trust: Housing aesthetic, neighborhood, historic and model where the cost of the land is environmental resources, while maintaining separated from the improvements and held safety and mobility. It is an approach to in trust in perpetuity as a way to create project design that considers the total permanently affordable housing. context within which a transportation improvement project will exist. The Complete Street: See Street, Complete Institute for Traffic Engineers and Congress for New Urbanism have developed a Comprehensive Plan: A plan for recommended practice to implementing development of an area that recognizes the Context Sensitive Design “Designing physical, economic, social, political, Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context aesthetic, and related factors of the Sensitive Approach” (2010). community involved. (Provides general guidelines for future development and Corridor: A broad geographical band that neighborhood stability). follows a general directional flow connecting major sources of trips that may Condominium: Legal term describing a contain a number of streets, highways, and type of housing situation in which an transit route alignments. Also as used in individual owns his own unit and some this plan refers to major transportation parts of real property are commonly routes that are commercially developed or owned. The most common form of condo is have the potential for commercial one housing unit in a multi-unit structure. development.

Connectivity: describes the extent to Critical Slope: Any slope whose grade is which the built environment permits or 25 percent or greater and portion of the restricts movement of people or vehicles in slope has 1) a horizontal run of greater than different directions. Connectivity is the twenty feet (20) and its total area is six degree to which networks - streets, thousand (6,000) square feet or greater and railways, walking and routes, 2) a portion of the slope is within two services and infrastructure - interconnect. hundred (200) feet of any waterway. Good connections encourage access within a region, city, town, or neighborhood. Ramp: Solid (usually ) ramp graded down from the top surface of a Conservation District: Locally to the surface of an adjoining protected historic districts designated street. based on historical and architectural significance. Design review regulations are Density: The number of dwelling units less restrictive than in an architectural permitted per gross acre of land. design control district, focusing on new construction and demolitions.

Page 4 Glossary of Planning Terms

Design for Life C’ville: Guidelines for Dwelling, Single-Family: A building visit-ability and live-ability incorporated containing one (1) dwelling unit. design features such as a no step entrance, making it easier and safer to bring in a Dwelling, Two-Family: A structure baby stroller, move in large furniture, arranged or designed to be occupied by two accommodate a person living with a (2) families, the structure having only two temporary or permanent disability, (2) dwelling units. accommodate friends or relatives who have mobility limitations, and ultimately will Dwelling Unit: A single unit providing help people age in place. Upon certification complete, independent living facilities for city will refund 25 percent of permit fees one (1) or more persons, including for visit-ability or 50 percent of permit fees permanent provisions for living, sleeping, for live-ability. eating, cooking, and sanitation.

Design Review: Regulations and EarthCraft: EarthCraft serves as a procedures requiring that proposed blueprint for energy, water and resource- changes to the exterior design of structures efficient single-family homes, multifamily and sites are consistent with specific structures, renovation projects, community standards and design guidelines, and developments and light-commercial compatible with the historic, cultural, buildings. and/or architectural character of the historic or entrance corridor district in Easement: A right held by someone other which they are located. than the property owner to do something specific on a piece of property. Design Standards: A set of guidelines regarding the architectural appearance of a Ecosystem services: The benefits that building, or improvements, which governs human communities enjoy as a result of the alteration, construction, demolition, or healthy, functioning natural systems, relocation of a building or improvement. including biodiversity, flood prevention, and clean air and water through natural Disability: With respect to an individual: systems’ role in filtering pollutants, a physical or mental impairment that producing oxygen, reducing greenhouse gas substantially limits one or more of the emissions, and controlling sediment major life activities of such individual; a discharge and streambank erosion. record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment. Embodied Energy: The energy consumed by all the processes associated with the Downzoning: A change in the zoning production and consumption of a material classification of land to a classification or structure. permitting development that is less intensive or dense. Energy Star: A joint project of the Environment Protection Agency and the Dwelling, Multiple-Family: A structure Department of Energy that promotes arranged or designed to be occupied by energy efficiency through a product more than two (2) families, the structure certification. having more than two (2) dwelling units. Entrance Corridor Overlay Districts: Designated significant routes of tourist

Page 5 Glossary of Planning Terms access leading to the City’s historic flood (100-year flood) without increasing landmarks, buildings, and structures. flood stages more than one foot above the Design review by an Entrance Corridor levels which would occur naturally. Review Board is required when new construction or exterior alterations are Fraternity/Sorority House: A building made. used as group living quarters for students of a college or university who are members of Environmental Justice: The pursuit of a fraternity or sorority that has been equal justice and equal protection under officially recognized by the college or the law for all environmental statutes and university. regulations without discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and /or socioeconomic Frontage: The continuous uninterrupted status distance along which a parcel abuts a single adjacent or street. Entrepreneurship: The act of organizing, managing, and assuming the Grandfathered: Describes the status risks of a business or enterprise. accorded to certain properties, uses, and Entrepreneurship is somewhat different activities that legally exist prior to the date from small business ownership, as it of adoption of the zoning ordinance or focuses more on the creation of wealth at a provisions of the zoning ordinance. faster speed, high risk, and substantial innovation. Green Building: The practice of increasing the efficiency with which Exterior architectural appearance: buildings and their sites use and harvest The architectural character, general energy, water, and materials and of composition and general arrangement of reducing building impacts on human health the exterior of a structure, including the and the environment through better siting, kind, color, and texture of the building design, construction, operation, material and type and character of all maintenance, and removal. Also referred to windows, doors, light fixtures, signs, and as sustainable building. appurtenant elements. Green Infrastructure: a strategically Family: 1) An individual or 2) Two (2) or planned and managed network of more persons related by blood, marriage, wilderness, parks, greenways, and adoption, or guardianship, and/or not conservation easements that supports more than two (2) unrelated persons living native species, maintains natural ecological together as a single housekeeping unit in a processes, sustains air and water resources, dwelling or dwelling unit. and contributes to the health and quality of life for the community. Green infrastructure Flood Plain: The extent of the can also incorporate low impact intermediate regional flood (100-year development design standards, such as flood) as defined by the studies of the U.S. pervious streets, grassed swales. Army Corps of Engineers. Green Space: A wild or relatively Floodway: The extent of the channel of a undeveloped area of land that can be large watercourse and adjacent land areas which such as farmland or small such as a city are required to carry and discharge the park. flood water of an intermediate regional

Page 6 Glossary of Planning Terms

Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Naturally Infill: Development or redevelopment of occurring and human-made gases that trap land that has been bypassed, remained infrared radiation as it is reflected from the vacant, and /or is underused as a result of earth’s surface, trapping heat and keeping the continuing urban development process. the earth warm. Intelligent Transportation System: A Heritage tourism: is travelling to TSM measure referred to as Intelligent experience the places and activities that Transportation Systems, or ITS, authentically represent the stories and encompasses a broad range of wireless and people of the past (National Trust for wire-line communications-based Historic Preservation.) Heritage tourism information, control and electronics helps make historic preservation technologies. When integrated into the economically viable by using historic transportation system infrastructure, and in structures and landscapes to attract and vehicles themselves, these technologies help serve travelers. monitor and manage traffic flow, reduce congestion and provide alternate routes to Historic Preservation: An effort to travelers. preserve, restore, rehabilitate, and/or interpret places of local, state, and/or Land Use: As a planning term, this refers national historical significance that provide to the actual use of the land such as tangible evidence of Charlottesville’s residential, business, recreational uses, and cultural heritage, for the purpose of others. A map is used to depict this in a protecting the City’s unique character, visual format. promoting education and well-being, and creating economic value through tourism Land Use Map, Existing: A map and rehabilitation activities. showing the current use of land in the City.

Housing stock: The total number of Land Use Plan Map, Future: A map residential dwelling units available for depicting in several colors the proposed non-transient residency. future land use patterns, community facilities, and transportation routes in the Incentives – In regards to Economic City, sometimes referred to as the “Official Development, benefits offered to firms as Map.” part of an industrial attraction, retention, or expansion strategy. A few incentives are Leadership in Energy and tax abatements and credits, low interest Environmental Design (LEED): The loans, infrastructure improvements, job LEED Green Building Rating System™ is a training, and land grants. nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high Individually Protected Properties performance green buildings. (IPP): A property that has been locally designated as historically and Live/Work Unit: A space that combines architecturally significant to the one’s workspace with their living quarters. community. IPPs are regulated the same as Living Street: See Street, Living contributing properties in an architectural design control district. Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP): LEAP is a non-profit organization

Page 7 Glossary of Planning Terms that coordinates energy efficiency include schools or social clubs, or improvements on the home. They are a boundaries defined by physical barriers, one-stop shop for people interested in such as major highways and railroads, or upgrading their home to save energy and natural features, such as rivers. save money. Neighborhood Commercial: Where Lot: A parcel of land either shown on a commercial building form mirrors that of plat of record or described by metes and the low-density residential zones. bounds or other legal description. Neighborhood Scale Business: Office Low Impact Development (LID): LID and/or retail uses that are located in is development that minimizes the proximity to residential areas, and are negative impacts of runoff similar in physical scale and activity to generated by traditional impervious residential development. surfaces. Nodes: are points or strategic spots where Market District: An area in which a there is an extra focus, or added public market becomes the center of a concentration of city features. Prime district where related businesses choose to examples of nodes include a busy locate, creating a synergistic economic or a popular city center. environment. Park or Reserved Open Space: Mixed-Use: Containing or zoned for Includes active and passive park commercial and residential facilities or recreational lands, including associated development. buildings, and may be publicly or privately owned. Mixed-Use Development: A single building containing more than one type of -Friendly Environments: land use or a single development of more Places that are designed to create a safe and than one building and use, where the accommodating environment for walking. different types of land uses are in close proximity, planned as a unified Placemaking: is a multi-faceted approach complementary whole, and functionally to the planning, design and management of integrated to the use of shared vehicular public spaces. Placemaking capitalizes on a and pedestrian access and parking areas. local community’s assets, inspiration, and potential, ultimately creating good public National Register/National Register spaces that promote people’s health, of Historic Places: A list of properties happiness, and wellbeing. Placemaking is that have been recognized as being both a process and a philosophy. significant to our nation’s history. The list is honorary, meaning that it recognizes the Public/Semi-Public: Includes publicly historic value of the property. A register owned land and buildings for uses such as listing, by itself, does not impose government, schools, and public safety. regulations. Rehabilitation: The repair, preservation, Neighborhood: An area of a community and/or improvement of structures. with characteristics that distinguish it from other community areas and that may

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Rehabilitation Tax Credit Programs: multiple-tenant building that houses one or State and federal programs established to two people in individual rooms or refers to give property owners a tax credit incentive the single room dwelling itself. These units to rehabilitate structures that are may contain food preparation or sanitary designated as historic by the state or facilities, or both. federal government. Stormwater Infrastructure: Residential, High Density: Multi- Stormwater infrastructure is the network of family; more than 12 dwelling units per piping, systems, and facilities that manage acre. runoff from areas such as paved surfaces Residential, Low density: Single-family and roofs. and two-family; 12 or less dwelling units per acre. Stormwater Management: The management of runoff generated by storm Right-of-way: A strip of land acquired by events, usually by retention facilities, green reservation, dedication, prescription, or infrastructure, and/or low impact condemnation and intended to be occupied development techniques so that stormwater by a street, trail, waterline, sanitary sewer, is released at a controlled rate to receiving and/or other public utilities or facilities. streams so as not to adversely impact downstream property and water quality. Secretary of the Interior Standards for Historic Rehabilitation: A set of Street: A public or private thoroughfare recommended practices for rehabilitating that affords access to abutting property. or adaptively reusing a historic structure. Street, Complete: Streets designed for Section 3: A provision of the U.S. safe use and access by multiple user groups Department of Housing and Urban including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, Development Act of 1968 that promotes and transit riders of all ages and abilities. local economic development, neighborhood economic improvement, and Street, Living: a street designed primarily individual self-sufficiency. The Section 3 with the interests of pedestrians and cyclists program requires that recipients of certain in mind and as a place where people can HUD financial assistance, to the greatest meet and where children may also be able to play legally and safely. These are extent feasible, provide job training, still available for use by vehicles; however, employment, and contracting their design aims to reduce both the speed opportunities for low- or very-low income and dominance of motorized transport. This residents in connection with projects and is often achieved using a activities in their neighborhoods. approach, with less separation between vehicle traffic and pedestrians. Vehicle Sidewalk: A paved, surfaced, or leveled parking may also be restricted to designated area, paralleling and usually separated areas. from the street, used as a pedestrian walkway. Street Types: -Principle arterials: Serve major activity Single Room Occupancy (SRO or centers and carries the highest volumes of single resident occupancy): is a traffic

Page 9 Glossary of Planning Terms

-Minor arterials: Connect and augment woman, and/or minority-owned businesses the network of principle arterials and participating in state-funded projects. distribute traffic to smaller geographic areas than those served by principle Sustainability: Meeting the needs of arterials. Trips on these roads are usually human society today without compromising of moderate length. the ability of future generations to do so as -Collectors: Provide both access and well. traffic circulation within residential neighborhoods and commercial and TDM: Transportation demand industrial areas. These networks collect management (TDM) addresses traffic traffic from local streets in residential congestion by reducing travel demand neighborhoods, but can also penetrate rather than increasing transportation residential neighborhoods. capacity and focuses on alternatives such as -Local Streets: These streets comprise ride sharing, alternative work schedules and the majority of the road network in teleworking, increased transit usage, Charlottesville. They provide the most parking management, walking and direct access to property, and thus offer the bicycling. lowest level of mobility. Thru-Traffic: Sometimes referred to as Supported Affordable Housing: Units “cut-thru,” traffic that originates and with various sources of public funding terminates outside of a particular site, and/or mechanisms ensuring their subdivision, or development. affordability. Support may be project- : A concept based for multiple units, attached to fundamentally concerned with reducing the individual locations, or reside with adverse impact of motor vehicles on built- individual households. up areas. Usually involves reducing vehicle

speeds, providing more space for Supportive Housing: A combination of pedestrians and cyclists, and improving the housing and services intended as a cost- local environment. effective way to help people live more stable, productive lives. Supportive Transit-Oriented Development: housing is widely believed to work well for Compact, mixed-use development near those who face the most complex transit facilities with high-quality walking challenges—individuals and families environments. confronted with homelessness and who also have very low incomes and/or serious, TSM: Transportation system management persistent issues that may include (TSM) strategies focus on increasing the substance abuse, addiction or alcoholism, efficiency, safety and capacity of existing mental illness, HIV/AIDS, or other serious transportation systems through such challenges to a successful life. techniques as facility design treatments,

access management programs, high Small, Woman, Minority-Owned occupancy vehicle (HOV) , incident (SWaM): A certification program response plans, targeted traffic enforcement administered by the Virginia Department and intelligent transportation systems of Minority Business Enterprise (DMBE). (ITS). The program works to enhance procurement opportunities for small,

Page 10 Glossary of Planning Terms

24-Hour Activity: As a planning term which specify allowable uses for real this means the mixing of office, retail, property and size restrictions for buildings residential, and entertainment uses so that within these areas. there are people on the site throughout the night and day.

Universal Design: The design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.

Urban Tree Canopy: The layer of tree leaves, branches, and stems that cover the ground in the City when viewed from above. In its ability to intercept rainfall and filter sediment, tree canopy helps reduce stormwater runoff and improve air and water quality.

Virginia Landmark’s Register: A list of properties that have been recognized as being significant to our state’s history. The list is honorary, meaning that it recognizes the historic value of the property. A register listing, by itself, does not impose regulations.

Workforce Housing: A housing unit where no person or family between 60-120 percent of the area median income spends more than 30 percent of their income on housing costs.

Workforce Development: The systematic education and training processes designed to produce the knowledge, skills, and abilities required by business organizations, regions, states, or the nation. Communities advocate workforce development because it is an essential component in creating, sustaining, and retaining a viable workforce and ultimately leads to social and economic prosperity for residents.

Zoning: The division of a city by legislative regulations into areas, or zones,

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